The Arrangement .(27)

“It’s over,” she insisted with difficulty.

“No, it’s not. I set the terms.”

Her knees almost buckled when she took two steps back. He took two forward. Seconds later, one hair-sprinkled arm whipped out and grasped the nape of her neck. His head descended toward hers, and his tongue plundered its way into the warm recesses of her mouth.

She held back for as long as she could, fisting her hands against his chest in the closest act to rebellion she could muster, even while her lips clung to his like a lifeline. His large hand easily pushed aside the robe to uncover the curly hairs between her hips. He’d barely touched her, but she was spreading her legs to accommodate him.

“Just as I suspected,” he murmured hoarsely when he discovered the evidence of her desire. He stroked across her damp, swollen flesh, lighting a fire deep within her that threatened to burn out of control. She sank her teeth into the flesh of her inner lip to resist the urge to moan aloud. “What are we going to do about this now?”

Alexa sunk her nails into his wide shoulders. “Stop torturing me.”

His grin was one of satisfaction. “Whatever you want.”

Lifting Alexa up into his arms, Leonardo exited the office, and they were through the doors of the bedroom so fast he must have taken the stairs two at a time. They disrobed quickly, kissing and nipping at each other as each inch of flesh was exposed.

But Leonardo had plans for her. He lifted the belt of the silk robe from the floor and held it aloft for her to see. “I want to make sure you don’t go anywhere.”

As if she would leave now, knowing what was so close. Anticipation licked at her spine, and heat warmed her inner thighs when Leonardo bound each wrist to the cool iron bars of the bed. He was focused, resolute, testing each knot before he began his attack.

Everywhere his hands went, his mouth followed: across her swollen breasts, skimming the sensitive flesh of her abdomen, lingering at the damp juncture between her thighs. Tied as she was to the bed, she could do nothing except accept the invasive thrust of his tongue and fingers between her legs.

His assault on her was merciless, but all she could do was whimper and writhe against him, because he refused to untie her. Her begging was in vain.

She tugged on the belt, but it was an exercise in futility. He would keep her there as long as he wanted, and she wouldn’t be released until he was finished.





Chapter Eight


Later in the day, after dusk fell on the city, Leonardo stood bare-chested and barefoot on the balcony outside the bedroom. He’d slipped back into his jeans after easing out of bed so as not to disturb Alexa, who was fast asleep.

They’d made love several times and then fallen into exhausted sleep.

Upon awakening, he’d requested a late lunch be brought up to their room, and then they’d drifted into sleep again.

He stared, unseeing, into the pool of water below him. He still craved her. She was like a drug—the only drug that could assuage the painful throbbing in his groin.

The last thing he ever expected was that she would call his bluff about Xander. When he set his plan in motion, he knew he was taking a risk. It was quite possible she and Xander could have found someone else to help them, but he betted against the odds. What did he have to lose? If Plan A didn’t work, then he would simply have to create a Plan B.

It worked, but not for long. She was furious now she knew he influenced the decision to demand the full amount of the loan. His plan had backfired, and it was rare Leonardo found himself in a predicament where all the loose ends didn’t tie up neatly. Yet here he was.

There was only one way to handle this, but he was concerned about the response he would get. Deep down, Leonardo knew the right thing to do was to allow her the option to go. Even though they made love as if they could never get enough of each other, that wasn’t enough, either. She had to want to stay.

If she didn’t want to stay, he would have no choice but to let her go—

again. He shut his eyes as the worst pain he could ever imagine suffused him.



For the second time that day, Alexa awoke to find herself alone in bed.

Only this time, the person she searched for was standing at the foot of the bed, watching her. When her eyes met his, however, his face became shuttered, as if he quickly rearranged his features to hide something.

“Did you get enough sleep?” Leonardo asked.

The darkening day amplified the husky intimacy of his voice. He was breathtaking in just his jeans. The silken hairs on his chest arrowed down below his waistband, toward the part of his body she’d thoroughly enjoyed three times today.

Alexa nodded and then swallowed. Despite looking irresistible, she couldn’t miss that he also appeared very somber. He must have something very serious weighing on his mind.